Fluid level indicator



Feb. z5, 1941. w. J. WITTHAUS 2,233,235

FLUID LEVEL INDIcA'ron Filed oet. 16. 1939i Patented Feb. 25, 1941UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in indicatingdevices for gauge glasses which show the water level in boilers and thelike, and relates more particularly to an improved visible float whichis positioned within the gauge glass and which follows the movement ofliquid Within the glass as Ithe water in the boiler changes its level.

Indicating floats have heretofore been placed within gauge glasses, butthese for the most part have been unsatisfactory in that they frequentlystick to the glass `and :accordingly do not travel with the water as thesame varies its level. Moreover, in the general run of boilers there isfreu quently an accumulation of Idirt and sediment which enters thegauge glass and accumulates on the inner surface thereof, thus makingeven la relatively visible float dificult to see on occasions.

It is one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide afloat made preferably from glass, the float being so constructed as toprevent the .possibili-ty of clinging to the glass, land also havingmeans on the exterior thereof for scraping the side of the glass, thusremoving the accumulated dirt and other material.

Another object of Ithe invention is the provision of a novel levelindicator which may be useful in any instance wherein it is desired todetermine the level of liquid in a tubular member.

In the drawing: I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially section, of a ygauge glass, theView showing a side elevation of the preferred embodiment of Ithepresent oat;

Fig. 2 is .a horizontal section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and showsmeans positioned at the lower, as well as lthe upper, end of the glassfor preventing the iioat from leaving the glass when the water is low orhigh, as :the case may be, and thus entering the boiler;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the preferred float structure;and

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4 4 45 Of Fig. 3.

Referring now to .the drawing, and more par-..

ticularly to Fig. 1 thereof, a gauge glass I0 is illustrated as beingsupported at opposite ends thereof by conventional cut-off valves IIyand I2, 50 the actual connection between the glass and the vialve beingeffected by means of .a nut I3 having an inwardly turned ange I4, whichencloses the upper end of a gasket I5 having `an inwardly :turned flangeI6. The inner diameter of this an- 55 nular flange portion I6 is smallerthan the inner diameter of the glass I0 and lan annular stop member I1,having a centrally disposed portion I8, rests upon this flange portionI6. This inwardly turned portion I8 passes through the center of .theglass and thus prevents the float, which is designated las I9, frompassing out of the glass at the lower end thereof. A similar stop member(not shown) is positioned eat the upper end of the glass land may beretained in such position by frictional engagement with :the inner wallsof the glass.

The oat I9 is, as was previously pointed out, preferably made fromglass, although it may be formed from sheet metal or from any suitablemolded material, glass being preferred on account of its relativelightness of weight. The float is substantially cylindrical in shape andis .preferably provided with rounded end portions 20, the length of thefloat being substantially twice its diameter. The particular improvementin the oat structure I9 resides in the provision of the spaced, spirallydisposed spline portions 2I extending over the major portion o-f thelength of the oat.

The float is desirably formed by the glass blowing method, the tube ofglass being positioned within a properly formed mold after which theglass is heated and then blown into the suitable recesses in the mold,thus forming spline portions, the walls of which .are desirably of thesame' thickness as the side Walls of the float in order to cut down :thetotal weight of the structure.

It will be noted that the spline portions are substantiallysemi-circular in transverse section and it has been found that thisshape is preferable to a triangular shape forming a relatively sharpedge, or any other shape. In order to make the float more visible, it isdesirably formed of brightly colored glass.

Whereas the improved float is shown in connection with a gauge glass, itwill be apparent that it has other uses `as a liquid level indicator.For instance, in chemical laboratories in transparent tubular memberswhich lare graduated and which contain fluids, the float is useful indetermining the exact height of the columns of fluid. I-t is also usefulin fountain pens having transparent barrels, the float indicating theamount 50 of ink contained within the barrel. Whereas the preferredembodiment of this invention is described :as being formed from glass,it may nevertheless be made from metal or from plastics or othermold-able material. 55

What I claim is: of the oat being substantially twice its diameter,

A visible float for insertion within a gauge glass and a plurality ofspaced spirally disposed splines or the like to indicate the level offluid contained formed integrally with such body portion and extherein,said oat comprising a substantially tending over the major portion ofits length, such cylindrical, elongated body portion formed of splinesbeing substantially semi-circular in trans- 5 colored plastic material,such body portion being verse section. hollow and .being provided withrounded end por- WILLIAM J WITTHAUS. .tions forming a sealed .tubularmember, Ithe length

